The Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986 amended the Crimes Act to legalise consensual sex between men. The most outspoken MP against Homosexual Law Reform was National MP, Norman Jones. Jones told the queer community to “go back to the sewers, where you come from … You can stay in the gutter.” In in his speech against decriminalising homosexuality, Jones warned non-queer people: “Don’t look too long; you might catch Aids.”
Ninety-two per cent of the then-National Party voted against decriminalising homosexuality. That was 36 years ago. Those MPs have either died or quit politics - unless they are Winston Peters, desperate to get back into Parliament. So how has the National Party performed in recent years?
The Civil Union Act 2004 made it legal for same-sex couples to enter a civil union. A civil union is a legal recognition of a companionship between two people that grants people similar rights to marriage. In his speech against same-sex civil unions, National MP Gerry Brownlee said that in his view, “The sad fact is, although some will find this difficult to take, [the gays] are not the same.” Brownlee became the deputy leader of the National Party in 2022 and will be standing in the 2023 election on the National list.
That year, 88.9 per cent of the National Party voted against recognising same-sex civil unions.
In 2005, the Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill attempted to clarify in law that marriage must be between a man and a woman. New Zealand did not recognise same-sex marriage in 2005. The Marriage Act did not explicitly rule out same-sex marriage. In 1998, the Court of Appeal in Quilter v Attorney-General held the definition of marriage in the Marriage Act meant marriage between a man and a woman.
The Bill failed at first reading, but 74.5 per cent of the National Party voted to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013 amended the Marriage Act 1955 to allow same-sex marriage. Marriage now means the union of two people regardless of sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity.
Despite National MP Maurice Williamson’s famous “big gay rainbow” speech, 54.2 per cent of the National Party voted against same-sex marriage. In 2015, Williamson played audio that disparaged gay men at the Esri Users Conference gala dinner at SkyCity. Williamson later apologised.
The Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022 banned conversion therapy. It made it illegal for people to attempt to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Then-National Party leader, Judith Collins, labelled the ban on conversion therapy “anti-parents” and whipped the entire National Party to vote against the ban at first reading. National MP Simon O’Connor claimed the ban on conversion therapy would force gay men to live as trans women, a problem he created in his head.
Only National MPs voted against banning conversion therapy at the first, second and third readings.
In 2021 National MPs, including progressives like Erica Stanford and uber-conservatives like Simeon Brown, accepted a petition from an organisation that advocates against the rights of trans women. As National Party leader, Todd Muller said that finding queer representation was not a priority for the National Party. Recent comments by National Party leader, Christopher Luxon, ruled out the existence of non-binary people, and Collins continues to mock trans people.
The National Party is not an ally and they have no MPs identifying as queer. If the National Party wants the queer vote, they must show us they’ve changed. Till then, the queer community should not let the National Party campaign for votes at Pride.
Shaneel Shavneel Lal (they/them) was instrumental in the bill to ban conversion therapy in New Zealand. They are a law and psychology student, model and influencer.
